Developer Mode
Developer Mode is what lets Claude build a draft of your site. Because it lets the plugin write section files on your server, it is off by default.
Turn Developer Mode on safely
- Open .
- Tick Enable Developer Mode and click Save.
- A notice now shows in the admin while it is on. Turn it off when you finish building.
Why be careful. With Developer Mode on, an administrator's login can write PHP files on the server. Keep admin passwords strong, use two-factor sign-in, and turn it off when you are not building.
Lock it in wp-config.php (recommended for live sites)
Ask your host or developer to add one line to wp-config.php:
define( 'SLB_DEV_MODE', false ); // always off define( 'SLB_DEV_MODE', true ); // always on
This setting beats the admin checkbox in both directions, so nobody with only a WordPress login can change it. The checkbox then shows as locked.
Draft theme versus live theme
The draft theme is a copy of your live theme. All Claude's changes go there. Visitors still see the live theme until you publish. The global regions of the draft and live themes are separate, so set navigation on the draft too.
The Developer Mode screen
Open . Tabs: Overview, Pages, Sections, Preview / Publish.
- Create Draft From Live Theme. Makes the working copy.
- Run Validation. Checks the draft's theme file and sections for errors.
- Generate Site Preview Link. A link to view the whole draft site.
- Publish Draft Theme. Asks for a release name, then makes the draft live.
- Rollback to Previous Theme. Puts the previous live theme back.
There is also an option to delete the draft.
Why Publish might refuse
Publishing is blocked if:
- There is no draft.
- The theme settings file is invalid.
- Any section file has errors, or a page uses a section that does not exist.
- No site audit has been run, or the latest audit has blockers.
It warns (but allows) if fields were removed from a section, no preview link was generated, or the audit has warnings. See the audit.
Developer mode inside the editor
With Developer Mode on, the editor can be opened with &slb_dev=1 on its address. It then shows a Dev Mode badge and the save button reads Save to Dev. Changes go to the draft, not the live site. Real publishing happens on the Developer Mode screen.
MCP Bypass: leave off
MCP Bypass lets Claude publish and roll back without you, and grants that account broad site access. It needs both a wp-config.php line and an Arm MCP bypass click, and expires after 4 hours idle or 24 hours. Most users should never use it.